Southworth Golf

Southworth Golf is a wholly owned subsidiary of Newton, Massachusetts-based Southworth Development. Southworth Golf specializes in the management, construction management and operation of multi-faceted, full-service properties, often located within destination resort developments.

Southworth Golf’s management philosophy is to operate properties as individual brands, with many business and personnel practices customized to each property’s specific market. Southworth Golf takes pride in delivering memorable experiences for its customers as well as recognizing the accomplishments of its employees. Southworth Golf currently manages properties in the United Kingdom, The Bahamas and The United States.

Southworth Golf’s construction management expertise focuses on multi-faceted golf and golf-related development. A typical scope of service would include the construction management of a golf course or courses and related facilities; the construction management of residential and commercial infrastructure and development pads; management of the grow-in and pre-opening periods, and the financial documentation and reporting required of the project.

Throughout the years, Southworth Golf has construction-managed some of the most environmentally sensitive development sites in the United States. Southworth Golf also built some of largest residential golf projects in the U.S. and the Caribbean and has worked with the industry’s top designers including Greg Norman, Bob Cupp, George and Tom Fazio, Tom Kite, David McLay Kidd, Rees Jones, Jack Nicklaus, P.B. Dye and Arnold Palmer.

Clients choose Southworth Golf because of their experience and history of success; their ability to understand a project’s constraints and opportunities; their administrative and financial management practices; their buying power and most importantly, their ability to combine design and building projects, resulting in the project being built properly and on budget, the first time.

Latest News

Following Southworth Development’s acquisition of The Abaco Club, the Executive Chefs from three Southworth sister properties visited Abaco as guest chefs to give the members a taste of Southworth.

Dawson Frock from Renaissance just north of Boston started the rotation, bringing his affinity for classic, fresh local ingredients with him. As the Abaco Club’s first guest chef, he dazzled members’ palettes with his Blackened Grouper, Maple Glazed Chicken Breast and Bahamian Conch Chowder.

Next to visit was Chef Reid Badger from Creighton Farms outside of Washington DC. Known for making everything from scratch, Chef Reid crafted a number of sumptuous dishes while in Abaco, including Lemon Grass and Lime Ice Cream, Mango Cake made with mangoes and a hint of ginger, and Home-Made Bread with olive and basil ciabatta.

Southworth Development has acquired the spectacular Abaco Club on Winding Bay from Marriott Vacation Worldwide Corporation. Southworth acquired the community, in an all cash purchase, in partnership with a consortium of members and residents of The Abaco Club.

The Abaco Club on Winding Bay is one of the world’s great sporting clubs, with residences that rival the finest in any island setting. The Club features over 2 miles of white-sand beach; an acclaimed tropical links golf course, which has been consistently ranked as the #1 course in The Bahamas by Golfweek Magazine; tennis; a wide range of water sports, world-class bone fishing, deep-sea fishing and boating off Abaco’s famed shores and surrounding islands.

The Right Honourable Perry Christie, Prime Minister of The Bahamas, said: “We welcome Southworth Development’s involvement in The Abaco Club on Winding Bay and look forward to working with such a renowned group. Renewed interest and long-term investment in the property will benefit Great Abaco and The Bahamas in the form of increased home building, tourism and jobs. ”

Southworth is planning a multi-million dollar renovation of the existing facilities which will begin immediately. In addition, a new state-of-the-art golf practice facility will be added, along with a new marina and boathouse.

Since being named "Resort Experience of the Year" by Golf Tourism Scotland as well as the proud recipient of their "GEO Sustainability Award" in 2013, Machrihanish Dunes has continued to impress, adding several more accolades to their list. Mach Dunes was honored to be named "Scotland's Best Experience" by the readers of Bunkered Magazine as well as landing among the Top 100 courses in all of Great Britain & Ireland by a large panel of expert raters from National Club Golfer. Good company indeed! Below are a few of the recent awards that Machrihanish Dunes has proudly received.

On September 14th, Willowbend held its second annual Honoree Day—an event created to celebrate the contributions individuals have made to the community as well as the world at large. This year, Willowbend honored Jack and Barbara Nicklaus for their philanthropic efforts, namely their work with veterans, particularly those wounded in service to their country, and the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation.

The Nicklauses are an unstoppable force when it comes to helping people and raising money for worthy charities. In 2004, Jack and Barbara created the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, which has raised several hundred millions of dollars for pediatric health care programs throughout the country.

In 2012, Jack and Barbara teamed up with Southworth's Creighton Farms outside Washington DC to create the Creighton Farms Invitational Hosted by Jack Nicklaus. This event raises money for the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation and children’s hospitals in the metropolitan Washington DC area. Last year’s event raised over $700,000 for the Foundation and promises to raise even more in 2015.

Willowbend welcomed Jack and Barbara with a luncheon and a fireside chat with over 200 Willowbend members and their guests. After discussing a variety of topics including Jack’s golf career and enjoying a barrel of laughs, Southworth Development owners David Southworth and Joe Deitch along with the whole Willowbend community presented Jack and Barbara with $100,000 for their charity.

One of Scotland’s most dramatic golf courses, Machrihanish Dunes, is celebrating the Year of Natural Scotland by herding an unusual bunch of ‘locals’ back onto the course.

Keeping it neatly nibbled during the winter months, the maintenance of this stunning coastal course is a labour of love for these ‘natural lawnmowers’; a flock of 40 black Hebridean sheep.

Set to swing back into action on October 18, these woolly wonders are not only a hit with visitors but provide a perfect example of environmentally friendly practice in Scotland, the Home of Golf. So much so, these ‘natural lawnmowers’ can be credited with helping Machrihanish Dunes secure the 2012 Association of British Travel Agents title of ‘Number 1 Eco Golf Course in the World’.

David Southworth, President and CEO of Southworth Development, owners and managers of Machrihanish Dunes, said: “Here at Machrihanish Dunes we are very proud of our eco friendly status and in particular the iconic characters who have helped us achieve our environmentally friendly credentials.

“By using the ‘natural lawnmowers’ to thin out the rough on the course we are able to help preserve several rare and protected species of orchids that grow here on this site and in few other places. The added benefit is visitors can enjoy the company of these unique companions as they play a round.”

Thanks to its eco friendly practices, stunning coastal setting and dramatic Atlantic backdrop, Machrihanish Dunes came in at number 25 in the ‘GolfWorld Magazine: 2012-13 Top 100 Courses in Scotland’.

The Village at Machrihanish Dunes announced today that it was the winner of two top awards at the Golf Tourism Scotland Excellence Awards, which were presented at the group’s annual dinner held on Friday, 22 November. The two awards it received were the ‘Resort Experience of the Year’ award and the ‘Golf Tourism Scotland GEO Sustainability Award for outstanding environmental practices. Machrihanish Dunes was also a finalist in the ‘Club and Course Experience of the Year’ (Green fee of £75 or less) category and its Ugadale Hotel was a finalist for ‘Accommodation Experience of the Year’ (22 rooms or less).